Waferinos-
Well, Derek Chauvin was found guilty--a relief, if not a surprise--and meanwhile, a number of massacres occurred in the wake of this, including the gunning down of black men by white cops. You'd think the cops would want to curb their enthusiasm as a result of the verdict, but no: the death toll kept going up. I doubt this bodes well for the current "defund the police" movements going on, and the odds are that when the dust settles, any changes to American law enforcement will be cosmetic at best. As I've said many times before, substantive change in the US, in a large variety of contexts (not just law enforcement), would require a whole different way of life: a different set of values, a different population, and finally a different country. Since there is no way that can happen, short of the complete disintegration of America, cosmetic changes are all we can expect, at least in the short run.
As for the long run: well, I've also said that America will be a very different country in 2030 than it is now. In this case, by "different," I mean "worse." And I don't doubt that for a minute. But if we were to look 20 years down the line...I don't have a crystal ball, but it's possible that by then, secessionist movements will have been successful, and the US will literally be broken down into various independent regions. Some of these will not be particularly benevolent; I'm guessing Texas will be very different from Vermont, for example. In terms of substantive change, we would be able to say that in such a decentralized situation, the American empire, and American imperialism, would be finished--a relief to most of the world. But one would also hope that the mentality of hustling would be finished, and that perhaps a few of these independent regions might wish to emulate the world view and way of life of Native Americans, most of whom we destroyed. A return to the values of craft, community, true friendship, a homeostatic economy (de-growth or no-growth), care for the environment, and perhaps trust in the Great Spirit, however that may be defined. Sustainability at all levels, in short, and a way of life that honors human dignity rather than the possession of objects. And certainly, a redefinition of the word "wealth."
Hey, a man can dream.
-mb
